To The Thunder
by Menamebephil
Summary: Chief Hakoda finds himself in the unenviable position of having to marry off one of his children. No War AU.
1. When Today Doesn't Really Know

**To The Thunder.**

–

** When Today Doesn't Really Know**

In accordance with traditions older than anyone in his tribe could remember the provenance of, Hakoda, High Chief of the Southern Water Tribes, laid his spear at the door, cast back his cloak to reveal a hip devoid of armament, and strode alone into the hall of the Fire Lord Azulon.

His footfalls echoed in the room; the only sound rising to greet them was the dull crackle of the wall of flame that dominated the far end, shielding the throne of the Fire Lord from the presence of the (relatively) common folk, and providing the only source of light. As he strode past the long meeting table, seats bare, there was a sudden _thud_- the door slamming to behind him.

Then, and only then, did the Fire Lord move, a conservative wave of a hand that parted the wall of fire that separated him from the Chief, splitting it into two pillars of flame that hovered, banked, on either sides of the room. Otherwise, he made no movement at all, no motion to recognise the man now standing before him.

Hakoda resisted the urge to clear his throat. There were protocols to be observed, after all.

After just slightly too long, the seated figure began to speak, in a hacking rasp.

"You have been in my city a week."

It wasn't a question, so Hakoda saw no particular reason to answer.

"You have spoken to my courtiers, my servants. Men authorised to speak for me, in matters of trade, of borders."

This was true enough, but Hakoda began to wonder when this speech might become a dialogue.

"In this time, we have not spoken. I have men who speak for me. I have men who read my letters for me. I have a man who chews my food for me."

A tiny core of Hakoda fought not to make a face.

"You have spoken to the men who talk for me of trade, of meat and furs for wood, and steel. Your food has become... _fashionable_, they tell me. There is another matter. One of which I would speak to you myself." Amazingly, the Fire Lord seemed to stir, briefly attempting to rise, before giving up. "This year... you know what will happen."

"The eclipse." One of two possibilities, but Hakoda was not about to sing the praises of Sozin's Comet. There was such a thing as pride, after all.

"_Yes_," Azulon replied, with grim relish. "The eclipse. And after... it will be a... strained year. The Fire Nation finds itself in need of... stabilising elements. There are rumblings, and... it is well known that King Bumi holds... undue influence over the Avatar."

Hakoda found he could not argue that. "What do you propose?"

Azulon nodded. "A marriage. To show the close ties between our two nations. To dissuade aggression against our shores, and to persuade those at home that there is no call for... expansionism. A marriage, between one of my grandsons and one of your daughters."

Hakoda blinked, heavily, trying to work out if the Fire Lord was attempting to insult him. "...I only have one daughter."

Azulon's brow furrowed in sudden uncertainty, dispelling any thoughts that it might have been a deliberate slight, and then broke into a broad smile. "Then your choice is simple. Your daughter shall be wed to my grandson. Zuko, of course. Not Lu Ten."

Hakoda raised a hand, trying to turn back the flow of the conversation. "Fire Lord Azulon, you understand, I cannot _force_ my daughter to marry anyone-"

"Oh? A shame. I can compel my grandsons to marry whomever I wish."

"-And even if I could I would not wish to." He sighed, already dreading the conversation he would have when he returned home. "However, I will suggest it to her. If she is amenable-"

"Capital!" Azulon cackled, rocking back in his chair. "I shall let Prince Zuko know at once. I look forward to the ceremony. There's far too much gloom these days, it will do people good to have something to celebrate. And," the Fire Lord's face morphed into something parodically sly "you will find there are benefits to joining our two families. You shall not want for steel, or anything else you should ask for."

–

Once the pleasantries had been duly observed, Hakoda turned on his heel, stalking back towards the door with a head full of worry and hands full of restlessness. He frantically tried to recall everything he could about the young Prince Zuko's only visit to the South Pole, and as such was so distracted that he entirely failed to notice the figure lurking in the shadows, behind a curtain.

–

_Lu Ten breathed deep of the frigid air, blinking away the glare of the sun on the snow banks, and directed his gaze out into the bay._

"_Nice day for it," he remarked, for the benefit of the bundle of coats to his left. He didn't get a response, but, in all honesty, he hadn't really expected one._

_He was worried about his cousin. Father was, too._

_They story was it had been an accident. Some kind of mishap on the training ground. The sort that could happen to anyone._

_Lu Ten couldn't help but wonder if he was honestly expected to believe that. But he couldn't say anything, not without challenging Uncle. So all he'd managed was to drag his cousin down to the South Pole, on the simple basis that it was the first diplomatic function he'd been officially invited to, and it was a very long way away from the capital, and so, from Ozai._

_Not for the first time, Lu Ten found himself wishing his aunt were still around. Uncle had almost been manageable then._

_Shaking away his gloomy thoughts as best he could, he nudged Zuko, and prompted him to pay attention. In the middle distance, a figure in blue had appeared, striding down the jetty, both arms extended above its head, waving frantically at the gathered crowd. Sokka, son of Hakoda, the High Chief of the Southern Water Tribes, and today was his fourteenth birthday._

"_So what's going on again?" Zuko asked, momentarily stunning his cousin._

"_Well, uh," Lu Ten laughed softly, scratching at his chin, "as best I can remember, he has to take that boat," he gestured to the small fishing boat tied to the jetty, "and sail it around those ice... crags." He waved vaguely at the middle distance, where the ice floes glowered. "And if he gets back in one piece, that means... he wins." Lu Ten was vaguely aware that this was not entirely passing muster. "I think it also means he's a true man. And the best at boats."_

"_Hn," Zuko mumbled, in disagreement. "Doesn't sound like such a great system if you ask me. What does being able to sail prove about anything?"_

"_You're asking me like I know, Zuko," Lu Ten replied, shortly, and then wished he hadn't._

"_Hn," Zuko concluded, kicking up the snow with a defiant heel._

_The minutes dragged on, and Lu Ten found himself fervently wishing that Sokka would stop standing around listening to speeches and just get on with it. Finally, the figure in blue stepped onto the gangplank, and started shouting commands, waving his hands in a pinwheel of authority._

_The boat cast off, and Lu Ten breathed an internal sigh of relief when he noticed Zuko's eye turn to follow it._

_And that was when things started going wrong. The wind, which had been steady and well-behaved until the moment Sokka took the helm, suddenly picked up, hurling the boat forward towards the ice floes, but at that moment Lu Ten had more serious problems on his mind, because it was at that moment it started snowing. Within seconds, the clear morning was obscured and muffled behind a thick curtain of flakes, and the only thing he could think to do was conjure a fire in his hand, and huddle around it._

_He tried not to think about the way Zuko's eye widened the second the spark flared. More important to avoid freezing, just at that moment._

_Eventually, as suddenly as it had begun, the snow ended, and Lu Ten looked up to see the boat gliding serenely back into the bay._

"_Oh good," he managed. "I guess that means he won. ...I wonder if the octopus is symbolic or something."_

–

Hakoda had expected this response, but that didn't mean he'd figured out how to deal with it.

"_No_! _Absolutely _not!" His daughter stared at him, eyes streaming, anger locking her jaw. "Why would I- how could you- _no_! No I am not going to marry _anyone_! Especially not some jumped-up Fire Nation prince! What made you think I would _ever_ agree to this?"

"I didn't-" Hakoda tried, vainly, before being interrupted again, this time by the figure that had sloped into the room.

"Who's agreeing to what now?" Sokka asked, seemingly not noticing the tableau in front of him.

"I'm not. _Dad_ is trying to get me to marry someone!"

"Oh, okay. Who?"

"Prince Zuko, of the Fire Nation," Hakoda muttered, shamefacedly, "and I'm not-"

"Zuko?" Sokka's eyebrows rose dramatically. "The one with the hair? Isn't he kind of ...old?"

Hakoda shook his head. "No, you're thinking of Lu Ten. Zuko's the one who's about your age-"

"Oh, _Zuko_," Sokka nodded, theatrically. "Isn't he the one with the face?"

"_Sokka!_"

"What? He's got a face! It's not like he _doesn't_ have a face-"

Katara saw her chance, and stormed out of the room before Hakoda could reorganise his thoughts. He slumped back, falling into a chair, and his son shook his head, as if to clear it.

"Okay, what'd I miss? You _know_ Katara's not going to just marry some guy out of nowhere."

"I know." Hakoda smiled, ruefully. "I just think it's not a good idea to go deliberately snubbing the Fire Lord's offer. If she meets the prince, and says no, then that might be enough. I never expected her to _actually_ marry anyone." He massaged the bridge of his nose. "Maybe I should have started with that."

Sokka considered something for a moment, before nodding, and patting his father on the shoulder.

"Okay, I got this."

–

Katara was sitting on the sea-wall, morosely skimming disks of ice into the harbour, when her brother flopped down beside her. She inclined her head, slightly, acknowledging his arrival.

"Hey."

"Hey," he replied, kicking his feet. "You know-"

"If _Dad_ sent you out here to convince me-"

"No! No. Never." His face broke into a grin. "I've got a _plan_."

"Oh no."

"You haven't even heard it yet."

"Do I need to?" she replied, rolling her eyes.

"Yes," he sniffed, primly, and continued. "Dad says that all you've got to do is go meet this guy and say no. It was the Fire Lord's idea, and it's terrible, but he's crazy and might start invading places if anyone tells him to jump off a pier, so. We play along, you meet Zuko, you say sorry, I prefer guys that don't have faces-"

"_Sokka._"

"-Or whatever, and we go home, and nobody can say we didn't try. International crisis averted."

Katara's face screwed up. "Go all the way into the heart of the Fire Nation? And since when were you a part of this expedition?"

Sokka shrugged. "So we meet him somewhere else. We've got a map around somewhere, there's probably some nice place we can meet. And I've been part of this expedition ever since it started looking like an excuse for a vacation."

"It's not- you were just _on_ vacation!" Katara accused, shoving her brother's shoulder. He fell over, mock-pouting.

"That was work! Training on Kyoshi Island was definitely work!"

"_Sure_."

"Dad said I needed to have a well-rounded education to-"

Katara theatrically stuffed her fingers in her ears. "I am not hearing this, not listening, lalalalala-"

"_Fine_, be like that. You can just go get married to some prince with a weird face-"

"Sokka, you have to stop that. You're going to _meet_ him."

Sokka shrugged. "Eh. He might be really handsome and charming now."

Katara frowned, trying to remember what she could of the prince from his fleeting visit, two years ago. "I don't think so. Although I wonder what he looks like without all those bandages."


	2. A Little Time To Think Things Over

–

Azula was fairly giddy as she stalked through the halls, head so filled with the electric anticipation of entertainment that it would almost have been possible for an outside observer to actually tell.

_Zuko _ was _betrothed_. It was just _delightful_. And he didn't even know it yet!

Well, it was clearly her duty to inform him. Anyone could see that this was something he had to be told. Besides, she had just been so very... _bored_ recently. The only real amusement for months had been that business with the Bei Fong girl, and of course that hadn't lasted more than a week before she was apprehended and sent home. She would have been happy with anything to break up the monotony, but she would never have expected _this_.

As she approached Zuko's door, it occurred to her that he might not even be there. Sometimes she wondered if she was the only person who noticed how little time Zuko spent in the palace these days.

Well, Mai probably noticed. But Uncle didn't and Lu Ten probably didn't and Father didn't seem to care and who knew what Grandfather noticed any more, it was sad, it really was.

She reached his door, and opened without knocking, letting the door swing open, and leaning nonchalantly against the doorpost, taking in the scene before her.

Zuko was indeed there- fully dressed in outdoor clothes, in spite of the growing lateness of the hour, shoes on his feet, a small bag over one shoulder, and guilt etched into every line of his face. She had actually caught him about to escape. She didn't even try to hide the grin that tugged at her face.

And she didn't even need to say anything about it. Just stand there, and let him worry himself into a frenzy. Of course, she wasn't about to tell anyone- what would be the point?- but he didn't have to know that.

"What?" he grunted, eventually.

"Oh, I just came by to offer my congratulations, but if you're _busy_ I can come back later," she smirked.

"...What?" He blinked, laboriously.

"On your upcoming wedding, of course."

He deflated. "If you've just come here to make fun of me-"

"Oh, not to _Mai_, of course."

He froze. "_What?_"

She waved her hand, airily. "To some Water Tribes girl. Oh, didn't you hear? Grandfather was meeting with their Chief earlier today. They agreed on it between them."

His legs buckled from under him, and he crashed down onto the bed, white as a sheet. "No- no I- they _can't_-"

"Of course," Azula continued, blithely, "you're always free to take it up with Grandfather."

"Azula-" his voice cracked, staring blankly into his shaking hands- "leave me alone. I need you to go. Please. Just-"

Azula's brow furrowed. This was slightly unexpected. She would have at least thought he would raise his voice. Not... _this_.

"As you wish," she replied, deliberately light and unconcerned, and turned, closing the door behind her. Hopefully, she kept an ear open for the sound of something expensive being thrown across the room, but there wasn't even that.

That had not been quite as entertaining as she had expected.

–

Katara started, as a pile of scrolls dropped into her hands, scattering what remained of her breakfast. Blinking heavily, she glared at her brother, demanding an explanation.

"_Maps_," he declared, excitedly.

"...Congratulations?" Katara ventured.

"For the trip! Come on, we haven't decided where to go yet."

Katara raised an eyebrow at him, while unrolling the closest scroll. "_We_? If you're so interested in this trip, why don't _you _go get married to this guy?"

Sokka shrugged, apparently unperturbed. "I gotta say, I am totally willing to tell Prince Zuko I'm not interested in marrying him if it means I get a free vacation out of it."

Katara snorted. "Well, I guess if you put it like that." She stared down at the map. "Hmm... Whale Tail Island?"

Sokka shuddered. "Oh no. Not after last time."

"What? It was nice! I had fun!"

"Oh sure, maybe _you did._ I'm pretty sure I still have that scar on my ankle, you know."

"Oh, you weren't down there _that_ long. But fine," she huffed, grabbing another scroll "if you're going to be a baby about it, we'll go somewhere else."

–

"Ember Island. She wants to meet on Ember Island."

"It's nice to see you too," Mai grunted, without turning around.

"I was hoping you might come with me," he said, and her control snapped.

"Why? So I can make sure she's _suitable_? Give her my seal of approval?" she spat, pivoting on her heel, half-striding towards him before she looked into his eyes.

She hated all of them. Every single one of them that had let this happen to him.

"Mai..."

"It's okay," she rushed, through a hammering ribcage, brushing his apologetic hand aside. "Sure, I'll go with you. It's just..."

"Yeah." He sagged. "Yeah, I know."

Mai was acutely aware that, since this particular moment was at least partly her fault, it was her duty to try and lift his mood a little. This was not a task to which she was particularly suited, but she tried, nonetheless.

"You never know, it might be fun."

And it would at least get him away from the palace for a while. And everyone in it.

–

She waited. She knew the rules by now. Father was not to be interrupted. If he wanted her to speak, he would tell her.

"I am concerned," he intoned, staring out of the window, into the night. "A great deal hangs in the balance. This year will be... most eventful. The world is watching." He stroked his chin, thoughtfully, and turned back towards her. "And in the midst of all this, Zuko is to marry." A wide smirk tugged at his face. "I understand the arrangement is for them to meet on Ember Island. You will go with him, of course. Make sure he does not cause embarrassment. Make sure everything goes... smoothly." He looked up, towards the ceiling, as if in silent debate. "Upon your return, be ready. I will call upon you."

Her brow furrowed, but only internally.

–

"_Why is she here_?" Mai hissed, as Azula stepped onto the boat, apparently without a single care in the world.

Ty Lee shrugged. "...Should she not be?"

Mai sighed. There were some things you couldn't talk about with Ty Lee. Azula's Mai-appointed status as The Worst Person In The World was one of them.

Well. Second-worst person, since Ozai was still alive. With stiff competition from Azulon (Blessed Be His Name, May His Reign Last Ten Thousand Years). And _maybe_ Ursa, depending on which rumours you believed.

In fact, the position of Second-Worst Person In The World was pretty crowded these days.

–

Lieutenant Jee paced up and down the jetty, growing more worried by the hour.

They were supposed to _be_ here by now. The letter had _specifically_ said they would be here by now. But the only ship that had arrived with the tide was a small commercial vessel from Whale Tail Island, and he did not want to be the man to tell the prince that his bride-to-be had unexpectedly failed to arrive-

A sharp cough interrupted his growing worry. He turned around, and saw two teenagers, dressed in blue, waving official documents at him.

"Are you the representative of-" the girl made a face, "Prince Zuko?"

"What- I-" flustered, Jee took a moment to compose himself, before continuing, somewhat more formally. "I am Lieutenant Jee of the Royal Guard, assigned as bodyguard to Prince Zuko."

"Is he here? Please tell me he's not here," the boy asked, wildly glancing around him. "Because that was a _really_ long trip, and I at least need to unpack first."

"Prince Zuko sent me to meet Katara, Daughter of Hakoda, High Chief of the-"

"Yeah, that's me," she interrupted, rolling her eyes. Jee blinked. It was far too late in the day to be dealing with this.

"Excellent. Welcome to Ember Island." It suddenly occurred to him that something was wrong here. "Where are your retinue?"

"Hi," the boy said, waving. Jee blinked.

"You came by yourself?" he asked, slightly incredulous.

"I said hi."

"Wait- hang on," Jee continued, the limited protocol he had been taught all forgotten. "You took a _commercial_ ship?"

Katara snorted. "I wasn't about to waste a real ship just to take me here."

"Oh." Jee tried, too late, to remember himself. Unfortunately, the mental script he had prepared was approximately six hours out of date. "May I escort you to meet the Prince this afternoon?" he asked, in defiance of the setting sun.

"What? No! No, I'm going to go to the hotel, and I am going to lie down. It's been a long journey. I'll see him..." Jee diplomatically ignored the way she sneered, "tomorrow. I guess."

"Yeah," interjected the boy, hovering behind her. "Bed sounds good right about now."

–

"Apparently she's gone to her hotel," Zuko reported, after Jee had been gratefully dismissed.

"Oh," Mai replied. She got the feeling that nobody had planned this meeting out particularly well. She supposed she should be grateful.

As Zuko stamped off to the bathroom, Mai exhaled.

"So. What now?"

Ty Lee shrugged. "Well, since the evening's free, I _did_ get invited to this party this evening. I wasn't gonna go, but..." she trailed off, hopefully.

Mai glared at her. "You've been on this stupid island for six whole hours. When did you- never mind. _Fine_. That'll do. But-" she jabbed a finger towards Ty Lee, threateningly "Azula's not coming. Got it? _Azula_. Is _not coming._ We are going to _leave_. _Without_ telling Azula. I'm pretty sure I've made myself clear. Nod. Right now." It was bad enough that she'd come along, but this was looking like the only time to get Zuko away from her before that Water Tribes girl appeared, and _nobody _was going to spoil that.

–

"I am so bored."

"Not my problem," Katara replied, from her chair.

Sokka stared out of the window, at the squat town, painted maroon in the last rays of the sun.

"I'm gonna go for a walk," he declared, abruptly.

"Mmhmm," Katara nodded, paying no attention at all.

–

They were gone.

They were _gone_.

They had gone out, and they had _left her behind_.

Indignant fury propelled her onwards, bouncing off the walls, and, without engaging her brain for one instant, out into the evening.

–

Sokka wouldn't say he was lost. He knew where the hotel was, that part was easy. It was more that he didn't know where anything _else_ was.

So he found himself sitting by a fountain in a small, deserted courtyard, listening to the familiar _whip_ of his boomerang scything through the air.

–

Anger can only last so long, confronted by the bland indifference of solitude, and soon enough, Azula was left with nothing but her thoughts.

It was not pleasant company.

Mai loathed her, probably. Azula had never really given it much thought before. Zuko... she had never expected Zuko to do anything for her, she _couldn't _expect Zuko to do anything for her, she _knew_ that...

She might have at least expected Ty Lee to say something.

It wasn't as though she was lonely. It was simply that it was beginning to dawn on her that she was surrounded by people who had no choice in the matter.

So surrounded by gloom, she very nearly didn't notice a spinning bit of metal try to take her ear off.

–

Sokka lazily reached out his hand, before it occurred to him that the square was suddenly silent, and that nothing was flying back towards him.

He looked up, and started at the sight of a figure, stepping into the light, boomerang held at arm's length.

"Oh! I am _so_ sorry," he apologised, stepping forwards, "I didn't see you there."

–

Azula raised an eyebrow.

He was tall, and gangling, with a strange haircut and a way of walking that seemed unused to paved streets- added up it screamed _Water Tribes, _although not as loudly as the fact that he was dressed head to toe in blue.

Certainly not some expatriate. Given the size of the town, there was only one real possibility.

"You're here with the Southern Water Tribes princess, aren't you?" she asked, just to confirm that she was right.

"...Yeah," he replied, and she couldn't stop a smirk. "Sokka, hi. Uh... I wouldn't call her a _princess_, though. That's not the right word."

"Well, quite," Azula agreed. "Azula," she replied, remembering her manners, just in time. "I arrived with the _Prince_ Zuko."

If he picked up on the jab, he didn't show it. "Wow. What a coincidence, huh?"

"Hmm," she agreed. "So what is this?" she asked, holding the slim metal object between thumb and forefinger.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, snatching it back. "Boomerang. It's a boomerang."

Well, that explained nothing. "And what is it for?"

He grinned. "Seals."

Azula blinked. "Seals."

"Yeah! You're out on the ice, you've got your spear, and suddenly, _crash_, a lion-seal pops up from underneath you, and it is a really, _really_ bad idea to try poke a lion-seal with a spear. So, throw a boomerang. Makes sure it knows you're not tasty."

She supposed that made sense, but only as far as it went. "You _do _realise you aren't in the South any more."

He nodded, unperturbed. "The first thing you learn about lion-seals: never assume there isn't a lion-seal stalking you right this second."

"You're three miles inland."

"They're cunning! And mostly teeth!"

There was only so much she could take. The laugh forced its way out of her, surprising her more than anything else, and she propped herself up against the fountain in what she hoped was a suave and in-control sort of way.

"So, uh, what you up to?" Sokka asked. "Just... going for a walk?"

Azula shrugged, blinking away the memory of her previous mood. "Simply bored."

Sokka nodded, emphatically. "Yeah. Me too." Silence bloomed, for a moment, before he scratched his chin, and thoughtfully continued. "So, uh, what's there to do for fun around here?"

Azula raised an eyebrow. "I don't really know. I haven't been here since I was a child."

An idea flickered behind his eyes, and he flashed a sudden grin.

"Wanna go find out?"

The question skidded past Azula's guard, disarming her usual knee-jerk sneering, and for a breathless pause, she weighed her options.

Well, what was the worst that could happen? Besides, it would _definitely_ show the others.

"Alright."


	3. Demolition Woman, Can I Be Your Man?

Mai scanned the crowded room. Ty Lee was in one corner, surrounded by an excited knot of young men (Mai gave it two minutes before one of them got too close and Ty Lee punched him into next week, and made a mental note to stick around for that, because you always had to make your own fun at these things), and Zuko was sullenly grazing at the buffet table, but he had at least agreed to come, and that was definitely a result. All in all, everything-

"Hey baby," a voice insinuated in her ear. Mai sighed. "You looking for a-"

"I'm carrying thirty knives and know all the places to stab a guy so it takes him three days to die. Go away," she said, absently.

"Fine, whatever, no need to be like that."

Yes, she reflected, lounging against the wall, all in all this had been one of her better ideas.

...Apart from the fact that Azula had just walked in with some guy on her arm. Which was incongruous enough that it might have been worthy of comment, if Mai had not been more concerned about how much this could be a problem.

Okay. Damage control.

The important thing, in times like this, was to remain _absolutely calm._

* * *

Mai, Ty Lee thought, was acting decidedly flustered. If she wanted a word, all she had to do was ask. There was no call to drag her off by her braid, and she was pretty sure kicking that guy that had complained in the knee was going overboard.

"Where's Zuko," she demanded, eyes darting around the room. "I lost him."

"He's out on the balcony," Ty Lee replied, engrossed in trying to straighten her hair back out. "He grumped something about getting some air. What's gotten into you?"

Mai's eye decidedly twitched.

"_That_."

Ty Lee peered in the direction Mai's thumb indicated.

"Oh hey! Azula made it! And she brought a friend," she grinned.

Mai held her face in her hands. "She wasn't meant to 'make it', we left without her _for a reason_-"

"And he's cute! Don't you think he's cute?"

Mai resignedly peered over at Azula's guest, a lanky Southern barbarian who was currently trying -scratch that, succeeding- to eat three pig-chicken legs at once.

"...No. And now I've lost track of-"

"_Ladies_."

The tension relaxed from Mai's shoulders. Ty Lee turned around, into Azula's lightning gaze.

"Azula! It's so great to see you!" While Mai melted into the background, Ty Lee stepped forward, engulfing the princess in a sudden embrace. Behind her, while Azula was unable to object, Mai turned around.

"_Whatever_," she opined, and stamped away, entirely coincidentally in the direction of the balcony.

* * *

Chan was slightly mesmerised by the figure currently making his way through most of the snacks. On the one hand, he wasn't invited, wasn't a friend of anyone there, wasn't dressed right, he'd eaten enough for five already, and was currently waving a bone at him. All of these were pretty good reasons why he should be kicked out right now. But, on the other hand, he had arrived with the actual Princess Azula. The actual _Princess Azula. _Of the Fire Nation. A nation of which Chan was, in fact, a citizen.

So Polite Host was definitely the card to play here.

"So... uh," he began, suddenly realising that the Southerner hadn't actually given his name.

"Sokka," the boy replied, diplomatically wiping his hands on the tablecloth (which cost more than some houses, Mother was going to _murder him_). With an 'okka'."

"Chan," he replied, slightly stunned.

"Chan. Great party, by the way. I haven't had seal testicles in ages."

Chan was feeling a little bit faint. "...Those aren't seal testicles. No testicles of any kind."

Sokka's face fell. "Oh. Oh well, they're good anyway. So," he started, brightening up, "when's the singing start?"

Chan blinked. "Singing?" Chief among his sudden questions was, clamouring for an answer, _how did you get into the company of Princess Azula?_ Two things stopped him, though. Firstly, in spite of his carefully constructed cool, this was in fact Chan's first time hosting a party, and he couldn't be sure singing wasn't actually something people were expecting him to lay on, and, secondly, the fixed grin on Sokka's face was beginning to give him the idea that he might just be being gently wound up.

* * *

Ty Lee was infuriatingly immune to guilt. Azula had learned that some time ago. This did rather spoil the fun of the situation somewhat- Mai, for example, would have certainly reacted appropriately (in her own muted fashion, if course) to being caught at this party, and indeed Azula had tracked this place down primarily for the fun of showing up uninvited and holding it above everyone's heads without mentioning it- but Ty Lee simply reacted as though it was a delightful coincidence that they were all here, and nobody had left anybody at the house while they snuck away. But, on the other hand, it was nice to just have someone to talk to sometimes.

"Mai is behaving oddly," she observed.

Ty Lee frowned with a befuddlement that could not possibly be genuine. "Really?"

Azula nodded. "Really." Azula wasn't a fool- she could see that Mai was not her closest confidant, although for the life of her she couldn't work out what she had done to deserve her ire- but she had never seen Mai so... twitchy before. "I wonder what's got into her."

Ty Lee shrugged. "Oh, you know. Zuko," she replied, and Azula almost choked on her drink.

"Oh yes. This betrothal business. I had almost forgotten." She had not given it much thought, after that first day.

* * *

Mai slowed at the sight of Zuko, hunched over the railings, staring at the moonlight, and considered her options. 'You okay?' was bound to make him angry, 'hey' would be a complete nothing of an opening, but 'great party' might be good for a derisive snort. 'So guess what, your sister showed up' would almost certainly be counterproductive.

"Great party," she droned. He snorted, derisively. She counted it as a victory, and sidled over beside him, flopping sideways, leaning against the supporting pillar, a few feet away from him.

The silence was cloying, filled up by the both of them frantically worrying about The Issue, the reason they were there, both of them coming to the realisation that it was too late not to think about it.

"Look," she said, bluntly, "I get it. You're royalty. There's things you're expected to do, like kiss babies and not carry money and marry strangers because granddad says so. I get it. You do... what you've got to do. I'm a big girl, I'll be fine."

Zuko looked like he bit back his first response, staring out into the water for a long while. Finally, he said something.

"I love you."

Her breath caught in her throat and her tongue was thick and stupid and all she managed to choke out in reply was "Well that's a hell of a thing to spring on someone right now, isn't it?"

Zuko let out a forlorn chuckle. "I guess I never did have much of a sense of timing."

* * *

Ty Lee seemed to sense Azula's sudden desire to change the subject, and obliged. "Sooo," she drawled, nodding over to the other side of the room, towards where Sokka was holding court to a gaggle of guests, expressions ranging from horrified to fascinated and every shade in between, spinning the tale of How I Got Stuck In A Ravine For Three Days And Had To Live On Snow. Apparently, in spite of expectations, it involved a great deal of waving his arms.

Azula felt eyes on her, and turned back to Ty Lee. "What? He's some member of this Water Tribes girl's retinue, we met by coincidence, we were both _bored_," she explained, adding emphasis in the vain hope that Ty Lee might at least look a little contrite, "and we decided to see if there was anything to do around here."

"He's cute, isn't he?" Ty Lee laughed.

Azula had known this question was coming, and she had a plan. Ty Lee was trying to embarrass her, and the only sure way to deal with that-

"Yes," she answered, plainly, and took a long sip of her drink.

-Just let it pass right through. Ty Lee, infuriatingly, seemed not to notice she had been outmanoeuvred, and just looked delighted.

* * *

Zuko glared at the moon as though it was personally responsible. He'd tried, he'd tried so hard, to be a worthy son, to do what was expected of him, to get things right... and nothing worked. No matter what he did, nothing was ever good enough. Not for his family, not for anyone.

Except Mai. He didn't know what she saw in him, but he knew he didn't deserve her. The way she held herself, the way she always looked angry to be laughing, the way her hair fell across her face, the way she could read him with a glance...

It had all felt like... a mistake, these past months. Like something out of someone else's life. Something he wasn't meant to have, but he'd almost dared to dream it might last. In the dead of night, he'd harboured the wish that they might just forget about him. Azula only noticed him when she was looking for someone to torment, and Father was usually content to pretend he didn't have a son these days, and it hadn't seemed too far to dream that he could just slip away one day, and never be noticed at all.

Well, Grandfather had put paid to that.

He didn't deserve her, and now he wouldn't have her at all.

It wasn't _fair_. He'd always known that, known that it wouldn't make a difference to complain about it. But the beach looked so inviting, long and deserted in the moonlight, and for one mad second he felt the urge to take her hand and just run, away from everything.

But he couldn't do that to her. It looked like tonight was all he had, the one moment set aside for him.

Well then. Time was wasting.

Smoothly, he vaulted over the railing of the balcony, landing with a thud on the other side. Turning back, he offered his hand to Mai, who raised an eyebrow.

"Wanna get out of here?" He asked.

After a moment of scrutiny, she shrugged, and accepted his help over the rail.

"It was an awful party anyway."

* * *

"Ty Lee, I have told you, I am not looking for advice," although some would probably help, she thought, privately. "I'm just going to talk to him."

"Of course!" Ty Lee answered, with a nod. "And remember, just be yourself."

Azula glared. "If you're going to make fun of me, you can leave now."

* * *

Sokka sat back, leaning up against the wall, and breathed in the warm night air.

Good food, nice scenery, interesting company, all in all, a pretty successful evening.

Movement down on the beach caught his eye, and he pulled himself to his feet and crossed the balcony, leaning on the railing and peering at the two dark figures crossing the beach with mild interest until a soft noise from behind made him turn around.

Azula. In the firelight she walked like a tiger, the dancing flames in her eyes dropping a lead weight into the pit of his stomach, his jaw dropping ever so slightly and a tiny voice in his head whispered _you are in so much trouble._

All this happened in an instant, as she paced over to position herself next to him, and he fervently hoped he didn't look as stupid as he was feeling.

He might have been gratified to know that the long pause that followed was a result of her having no idea how to start the conversation.

"So..." He prompted, after a few seconds.

"Really three days?" she asked, looking sidelong a him.

He shrugged. "Days, hours, what's the difference?"

"And the eating snow?"

"I thought about it! I thought about it _really hard."_

She laughed, unmusical and harsh, the sort of laugh _cackling_ was invented to describe, but Sokka was beginning to suspect he wouldn't mind hearing it some more.

But all good things had to come to an end. "I've had a really great time tonight, thanks for letting me tag along," he said, and she demurred in reply, a tilt of the head indicating that it was nothing to make a fuss over, unless he really wanted to, in which case by all means, go ahead. "Look, I've got to go, but I'll see you tomorrow, I guess? At this thing?"

Azula looked as though she wasn't sure what he was talking about for a moment, and then nodded, in understanding.

"So, uh, goodnight, I guess."

Azula looked conflicted for the briefest moment, and then she must have come to a decision, because she held him still by the lapels and pulled in for a kiss, brief and hard. Azula pulled back with the air of a conqueror; Sokka looked like he'd been hit by something heavy.

Azula nodded, trying not to show how pleased she was with the slow smile crawling its way across his face. "Goodnight."


	4. Not In The Way

Katara glanced pointedly out of the window. If there had been anyone else in the room, the way she scowled at the sun, now high in the morning sky, would have been heavy with meaning. As it was, she was just frowning at a blameless astronomical phenomenon for the benefit of a bookcase, two chairs, and a pai sho table. Still, it made her feel a little better.

Soon enough, though, the novelty wore off, and she was about to go and start shouting instead, when Sokka finally emerged, eyes wide, slightly out of breath, and a little shinier than usual.

"We have _got_ to get one of those back home," he declared. Ah. He had discovered indoor plumbing. That explained it, Katara supposed, in the disinterested way of one for whom water falling from above onto her head in a controlled manner was nothing to get excited about.

"Alright, we're late already, so let's-" wait a moment. Something was wrong. Katara's eyes narrowed.

"You've _shaved_," she accused. Sokka's brow furrowed in such a thorough display of confusion that she knew he was hiding something.

"Yeah. That is something I do most mornings. You feeling alright?"

"No, I mean you've shaved _properly_. And your nails!" Sokka moved to guiltily hide his hands behind his back, but Katara had seen all she needed to. "They're clean!" She sniffed, intent on plumbing the full depths of this horror. He flinched at her incredulous expression. "Perfume? Alright, what's going on?"

Sokka unexpectedly rallied. "Well for some reason I figured it might be a good idea to fancy up a little for the benefit of that incredibly important foreign prince who we're going to be disappointing today. You know, seeing as we're telling him no, the least we could do is look like we care. To be honest," he continued, buoyed up by diplomatic concern, "you could've made a bit more of an effort yourself!"

Oh Spirits, she realised, with creeping dread. He was right. "Do you think I've got time to do my hair?"

"No, we're late already, come on, let's go."

* * *

The curtains had been closed with some care, and were well-made to begin with, and so Zuko's sleep was uninterrupted by the passing of the morning, and only ended with a loud hammering on his bedroom door.

"_Wxlfrgl_" muttered the shape to his left, and rolled over. Gingerly, he prised his arm out from underneath her, and rolled out of bed, massaging life back into his stricken limb as he staggered over to where his robe was hanging, on the back of the door. Pulling it on, he half-opened the door, revealing Lieutenant Jee, who blinked and averted his gaze, which confused Zuko until he remembered to do his robe up.

"The party from the Southern Water Tribes is expected to arrive shortly, Prince Zuko," Jee said, apparently to the lintel.

"Okay," muttered Zuko, closing the door. Lumbering across the floor on legs that didn't seem to have knees, he crossed over to the washstand, poured water into the basin, warmed it with his hands, and, once he judged the temperature to be bearable, stuck his head in it.

* * *

"They're late," Azula snapped, pacing up and down. From her seat, Ty Lee frowned. She would have shrugged, but, given her current position, that would have ended disastrously.

"So? Maybe they just got held up somewhere."

Azula scowled out the window. Ty Lee briefly concentrated, and with a sudden surge, the world was upside-down again. She did her best thinking like this, in her opinion.

"You really don't need to worry, you know," she said, stopping Azula dead in her tracks.

"Worry? Why would I need to worry? What could I possibly have to worry about? I'm not _worried_."

This time, Ty Lee did shrug, shifting the whole world a few inches towards the ceiling for a moment. "Okay."

Azula scowled. "What? Okay what?"

"You said you're not worried. I said okay," she replied, simply. Azula glared, before pacing out of the room entirely.

There were some days, Ty Lee reflected, as the world began to spin again, when Azula was impossible to talk to.

* * *

"Is this the place? This looks like the place."

Katara glanced sidelong at her brother. "This is the address we've been given, yeah. Look, what's-"

"Does my hair look alright? I can't see it. Not that I could usually see my hair, it's just that I don't have a mirror with me and it's just important to me that... my hair... looks alright." He limped to a finish, and stared at his shoes.

If Katara had been feeling charitable, she would have interrupted him halfway through that sentence, but he'd been getting to her all morning, and she wanted to know what was going on.

"Sokka..."

"Look. This is the place, we should stop hanging around and go in."

She turned to glare at him. "Why are you so twitchy this morning?"

"Twitchy? I'm not twitchy, let's go. You go first."

"Ugh, fine. Whatever's got into you, keep it under control." She set her shoulders, and headed for the door. "Let's get this over with."

* * *

There were condemned men that walked towards the block with more obvious enthusiasm than Zuko was showing getting dressed. But then, Mai reflected, he'd never been particularly enthusiastic about clothes, although not in a fun way. He just seemed to begrudge having to make a decision before breakfast.

Now he was so sluggish as to be glacial. He'd opened the wardrobe and had been staring at the same rack of shirts for ten minutes.

"They're all red," Mai supplied, helpfully. "So pick a red one."

"There's subtle differences," he grunted, flatly.

"There are not." Mai was not about to let him get away with that one. "They're all red with gold and orange highlights. Every single one of them."

"There can be lots of kinds of red. Red can mean a lot of things," he replied, but there was a hint of a smile.

"And it just so happens that every one of them is the exact same red. Apart from that one at the end, but it never was the same after Tom-Tom was sick on it."

Zuko stared blankly at the offending shirt as though he had never seen it before. "...Why did I _pack_ this one?" he asked, with mounting confusion.

"All the wonderful memories?" she suggested, mostly facetiously.

Zuko not-laughed, and ran a finger along the hem of the garment in question. "You know, for my first time babysitting, I don't think I did too bad."

"If by that you mean both of you were alive at the end of it, then I guess."

Zuko huffed, and folded his arms. "Your parents didn't seem to mind."

Mai rolled her eyes. "My parents wouldn't have a bad word for you if you punched Dad in the face. They were practically on the rooftops declaring what an honour it was for Prince Zuko to condescend to set fire to such a humble kitchen as theirs."

And that got a real laugh, which was a result.

Suddenly, there was a sharp rapping on the door, and the spell was broken.

"Zuko," Azula's voice cut through the closed door. "It's time."

* * *

"You know, considering how late we were, you'd think they'd be ready," Sokka observed. The Lieutenant from the evening before had ushered the two of them into what he referred to as a 'waiting room'. The fact that it was just the entrance hallway had not escaped them, but it hadn't seemed polite to mention anything. Katara was trying to make herself comfortable on a low bench that she was beginning to suspect was meant for putting shoes on, while Sokka was leaning against the wall, and slowly sliding down it, as the minutes passed. Katara idly wondered if they would be summoned before he actually hit the ground.

Katara shrugged. "You don't hurry royalty, I guess."

In fact, at that exact moment, the door opened, and the Lieutenant entered, bowing stiffly.

"The Prince is ready to see you now."

"Right," Katara said, standing up, as, behind her, Sokka fell to the floor with a _thud_.

* * *

Mai lurked in the corner of the room, passing the time before Jee came back by trying to list all the places in the world she would not rather be than here at this precise moment.

It was a very short list. So far, she'd managed 'that part of a volcano where you're not close enough to burn up immediately but are still close enough that you're dying of poisonous fumes', 'Omashu', and 'anywhere near enough to hear Fire Lord Azulon (Blessed Be His Name, May He Never Stick His Foot In A Nest Of Howling Scorpions) while he's eating'. And she wasn't even entirely convinced that that part of a volcano actually existed, and wasn't just something she'd half-overheard once.

* * *

Katara blinked as she stepped around the Lieutenant, into the room. In contrast to the hallway, it was well-lit, properly furnished, and full of people.

And there he was. Katara wasn't in the mood to note fine details, but she couldn't suppress a thrill of horror, as she saw what the bandages she remembered had been hiding.

* * *

Azula was feeling more stable, now the moment of truth had finally arrived. The extra half an hour she had unexpectedly been given had not gone to waste, after all. Not one hair out of place. And when it came down to it, she still had her secret weapon.

It felt good to have a plan.

Jee stiffly opened the door, and marched into the drawing-room, two visions in blue in tow. The girl was stiff and obviously about as happy to be there as Zuko was, and Azula's interest more or less ended there. _Him,_ though...

He'd made an effort. Dressed with more care than last night. Cleaner, too. She couldn't help giving him a crooked smile, as his rapidly dancing eyes found hers, and was intensely gratified to recognise that same slightly stunned look crossing his face again.

She'd _got_ him. All she had to do now was wait for Jee to make the official introductions. Really, it was almost too easy.

"May I present Katara, Daughter of Hakoda, High Chief of the Southern Water Tribes," Jee droned, "and Sokka, Son of Hakoda, High Chief of the Southern Water Tribes."

Yes, Azula mused, really it was almost a shame-

_What_?

* * *

"...Prince Zuko, son of Ozai, grandson of Fire Lord Azulon..." Katara sighed, internally, and tried to concentrate on the parade before her. The Prince had certainly brought some colourful friends with him.

"...Princess Azula, Daughter of Ozai-"

To her left, Sokka apparently suddenly forgot how to breathe. It took every last ounce of self-control not to elbow him sharply in the ribs.

* * *

Jee finished his introductions, finally, and left the room as quickly as was not obviously rude. Next time they wanted a courtier, he promised himself, they could damn well send a courtier. There was a reason he'd chosen a career that primarily consisted of wearing a helmet and hitting things, and while it wasn't solely because of his fear and baffled hatred of diplomatic protocol, he would be lying if he said it had not been a factor.

Besides, that Katara girl had been starting to unnerve him.

* * *

If there were any justice in the world, Mai's glare should have left the Water Tribes girl as a smoking shadow on the opposite wall. It was bad enough that she was sneering at the room like they were the ones disrupting her day. It was bad enough that she was showing no signs of apprehension at all, as if this was just a routine chore. But she had flinched at the sight of Zuko's scar, and Mai would never ever forgive her for that.

"Prince Zuko," the girl said, after a moment of awkward silence. "Is there somewhere private we could have a word?" And that was phrased oddly. Mai couldn't figure out what she meant by it.

Zuko looked flummoxed as well. "Uh, sure. This way."

The two of them filed out, heading for a study. Mai serenely waited twelve whole heartbeats, then drifted noiselessly in the direction they had gone.

* * *

Ty Lee smiled conspicuously at Sokka, peered over his shoulder and waggled her eyebrows conspiratorially at Azula, who didn't look as though she noticed, and carelessly tumbled out of the room.

After a while, Sokka cleared his throat. "If I asked why she just backflipped out the window, would I get a sensible answer?"

Azula sighed, in a defeated kind of way. "I don't think so."

"Oh, okay then."

* * *

Azula was understandably annoyed. She'd had a _plan_. She was well aware that her interpersonal skills began and ended at telling subservient people what to do, and so had planned around that fact. A charm offensive- aided by the unexpected windfall of an extra half-hour's preparation time- coupled with the sudden revelation that she was Princess of the Fire Nation, and nobody to be trifled with, would have been enough to impress him into being amenable to her suggestion that they... spend time together or possibly dominate the earth, she had unaccountably failed to plan that far ahead yet.

But it had all gone wrong, because it turned out he was some kind of _Prince_.

No. He'd actually mentioned something about this. They didn't have Princes in the Water Tribes. That, at least, was something. But the fact remained that he wasn't likely to be impressed by a title.

She dared a glance at where he was still standing. He didn't _look_ unimpressed. Perhaps this could still be salvageable after all.

"So, uh ...princess?" he asked, with a hint of a smile.

She raised an eyebrow. "Chief's son?"

He coughed, and at least had the decency to look embarrassed. "It, uh, never came up?"

"Exactly."

He nodded, a few more times than was strictly required. "So, I was wondering, after this is all out of the way, we'll be staying around for about another month, and I was thinking you might want to get together sometime and go out to do an... activity?" All this was delivered, variously, to his shoes, the floorboards, the windows, and finally, in an unprecedented display of boldness, her left ear.

Azula blinked. There was something niggling about the first half of his sentence, but it was obliterated as she began to work out what he meant by the second half.

"...An _activity_?" What could he- oh. _Oh_. He was far ahead of her.

Suddenly Mai came skidding around the corner, and collapsed into the nearest chair, pulling a book out of some hidden pocket, and expertly assembling an air of boredom. At the same moment, Ty Lee came swinging back into the room, by a different window, and the sound of footsteps let Azula know that the happily betrothed could not be far behind.

In the confusion, she tapped Sokka on the shoulder, and muttered into his ear.

"Hold that thought," she told him, and then looked up as Zuko entered, ready to figure out just what was going on.


	5. If Wanting The Good Life Is Such A Crime

The only room on the ground floor that could really provide privacy- in that it had four whole walls and a door that shut- was a small study, and so it was there that Zuko led Katara.

When he opened the door to it, his horrified feet stopped him dead before his brain understood what his eyes were presenting him with.

Someone had _made tea_. And laid it out, neat and inviting, with two small cups.

The first thought rattling through his head was _who did this, who would do something like this._ This was painful enough as it was, without someone setting it up to look like he was somehow _enthusiastic _about all this, it was-

The second thought, overtaking the first on a wave of terror, was _she's going to think I did this_.

If he'd been confident he had the wit, he would have clearly and calmly disavowed all prior knowledge of this. Unfortunately, he wasn't entirely sure he was up to complete sentences any more, so instead, he limply gestured towards the seats.

"Uh... tea?"

* * *

Katara frowned as she accepted the cup from the Prince. It was too hot, of course, but so was everything on this island.

He wasn't what she'd been expecting. Not by any means. She'd been steeling herself for a sneering, hair-flipping aristocrat. She'd assumed that the Prince had been complicit in arranging this whole stupid situation.

She wasn't sure what to make of this hollow-cheeked boy sitting in front of her, staring fixedly at the spill he'd left on the table from his inexpert attempts to pour tea, hair a tangled cloud of fluff, dressed in a fine shirt- red and orange and gold- that nevertheless looked slightly faded, as if from too many washes.

She'd had a speech all ready. It was long, well-reasoned, and contained the phrase '_outdated sexist model of international relations_'. She'd practised it seven times on the trip over. On Sokka, much to his repeated dismay, until he'd memorised it enough to mime along and pull stupid faces. It was, she thought, a pretty good speech.

She was just starting to wonder if Prince Zuko was really the one she should be addressing it to.

Abruptly, she made a decision. Setting her cup down with a click of china, she folded her hands in her lap, and attempted to look Zuko in the eyes, a feat made more difficult by the fact that he seemed engrossed in the patterns of the table.

"Look," she exhaled, in what she hoped was a conciliatory tone. "You seem ...nice, and don't take this the wrong way, but I'm not going to marry you."

It looked as if his eyebrows got the news first, worrying themselves together as the rest of him slowly caught up. His teacup slipped from his fingers and skittered across the table, as, just outside the door, there came the sudden _thud_ of something heavy hitting the ground.

"...What?"

Katara was beginning to suspect that there was something else going on.

"...Like Dad agreed. The arrangement was I come to meet you, _then_ I decide whether I want to get married or not. Which I don't," she said, feeling it bore repeating. "And that's the end of it."

Zuko slowly fell forwards. His head landed almost gently on the table, where it bounced. Both arms slowly emerged, and wrapped around what little of his face was still visible.

"...I have been _such_ an idiot," he mumbled. Katara blinked, and naturally assumed he was talking about the tea.

"...I mean, it's nice that you've made an effort, I guess, but really I just met you. I know you came to visit a couple of years ago, but really I don't think we actually talked at all-"

"No!" Zuko exclaimed, sitting up suddenly, hands outstretched in supplication. "No, you don't understand. I... uh, have a girlfriend, actually."

"Oh!" Something _definitely_ wasn't right here. While she worked out what it was, she reached for polite conversation. "Is she here?"

"Yeah," he said, smiling faintly. "Mai."

Mai, Mai, which one was "Oh! The one with the really scary eyes?" That probably did not count as polite conversation, but she had at least solved the mystery of why the gloomy girl in black looked like she had been trying to murder Katara with her mind.

"She always looks like that, don't take it personally."

* * *

He was _very lucky_ she was in such a great mood, Mai decided, from her comfy new position on the floor, because otherwise he would _definitely _have been paying for that one.

* * *

"...Wait a minute," Katara said, as implications clicked into place. "...Did you think that there wasn't a choice?"

Zuko blinked. "...Yeah."

Katara pinched the bridge of her nose. "Why would anyone- that wasn't the deal Dad made with the Fire Lord, why were you told-" no. It wasn't any of her business, so time to end this line of inquiry before it inevitably _became_ her business.

"Okay, first things first. We've got to tell the others, I guess."

* * *

Azula blinked, heavily. "I beg your pardon?"

The Water Tribes girl shrugged. "I don't know what anyone expected me to say. No, we are _not_ getting married."

Well at least she was sensible, the thought skimmed, across the surface of Azula's mind. Idly, her glance rolled over to the corner, where Mai had not looked up from her book.

Slowly, with no other indication that she was aware of the eyes on her, she raised one arm up, and deliberately gave Azula a thumbs up.

Azula knew a time to withdraw when she saw one.

* * *

"Okay, so now that's out of the way," Mai announced, snapping the book shut (loud and sudden enough to make the Water Tribes girl jump, which Mai found more amusing than she _really _should) "now what?"

Ty Lee grinned, and threw her arms over Azula's and The Water Tribes Guy's shoulders. No, wait, hang on, that hadn't been what Mai meant _at all-_

"How's about we go to the beach?" Ty Lee suggested, as Mai attempted desperately to convey the fact that _no_, she had absolutely _not _meant that these two idiots stick around, thank you very much for not marrying Zuko, now _go away_.

Damnit. Damnit. Damnit.

* * *

"I hope you enjoyed your summers, for they are over now. You will remember this moment every time the sun sets, and every time the west winds blow you will be reminded of this failure. Your defeat today will follow you for the rest of your days, and in your dotage your children will not understand why you cry; this moment will be why you do not rejoice on your own wedding day, your defeat here will be all you see in your dreams, the shame you feel today shall turn your every waking moment into a nightmare from which you will _never escape!_"

"Woo! Yeah, suck on _that!_"

Katara glanced over at the source of the shouting, and, seeing that the net was now on fire and people were starting to run, buried her head in her hands. She should have known letting Sokka near volleyball would be a bad idea.

"Just tell me one thing," she muttered, into her fingers. "Is he encouraging her?"

Ty Lee considered this carefully. "...Nooooo? I mean, she's not usually smiling so much."

"Oh then that's fine," she giggled, helplessly.

* * *

Mai glanced sidelong at the figure in the middle distance who was doggedly attempting to wear the ice-cream man down into accepting Water Tribe money. Something was bothering her about him.

"He can't _actually_ like her," she mused, aloud.

Ty Lee shrugged. "Sure he can."

"Eh." She had a point, he _did _seem to be kind of stupid. "I suppose it's our moral duty to warn him."

Ty Lee blinked. "Why?"

Mai considered this. "Good point."

Genuine entertainment was hard enough to come by. Besides, it might keep Azula busy for a while.

* * *

Zuko was standing off by the water, staring blankly into the horizon. But he turned a little as she approached.

"Oh," he exhaled, in a way that made her perhaps wonder if he'd been waiting for someone else. "Hi, Ty Lee."

He had something on his mind, but didn't seem to be equal to starting the conversation. So she decided to give him a bit of a nudge.

"What a morning, huh? Mai looks happier than I've seen her in _months_. You can tell 'cause her forehead isn't quite so wrinkly."

He looked sort of wistful, and wrung-out. "You ever have one of those moments where you just think _this is it, it's all over_, and then it's just... not? You're trapped waiting for something you can't get away from, and you can't see past it. And then at the last second, it's gone, and ...what next?"

Ty Lee smiled, faintly, and waited for him to remember. He would, he was thoughtful, even if he pretended not to be sometimes.

Sure enough, he suddenly froze, and scratched the back of his head. "Oh. Yeah. I guess you did. Sorry."

She shrugged. "Don't worry about it."

"...You ever miss the circus? It's been about a year now, since you came back."

Ty Lee sighed, wistfully. "Some days. But," she brightened up, and punched him in the biceps, in a friendly sort of way "I think I missed everyone more. It's so _nice_ to see everyone again."

Zuko sighed, and stared out over the water again.

"...Father is going to be _furious_."

She caught herself just in time before she said something really _stupid_. There was only so far a comparison could be stretched, after all. (She definitely, _definitely_ didn't think about how her own father had been angry with her, and yet never raised his hand, because that sort of thought was edging just slightly too close to treasonous.)

Instead, she just patted him on the shoulder in a commiserative sort of way, and watched the water with him.

* * *

"...Hi."

Mai looked up as Sokka flopped down on the sand, breathing heavily. She didn't see any point in responding, so she didn't.

"...Why is this place so _hot?_"

Mai frowned. "It's the _Fire_ Nation. It'd be weird if it wasn't."

Sokka looked confused in return. "Yeah, but, surely _sometimes_ it's gotta be cold. Doesn't it ever snow?"

Mai was beginning to wonder if he was just trying to annoy her. "...No. I can safely say it never snows in this part of the Fire Nation."

Sokka had the look of one whose mind had suddenly been opened to hitherto undreamed-of possibilities. "...Huh."

Blessed silence returned, for about five seconds.

"Say... you seen Azula around? She disappeared about twenty minutes ago, I was wondering if you'd seen her."

Agni was testing her, he really was. Every charitable bone in her body was crying out to _tell him_ that Azula was crazy and evil and really not someone you wanted to hang around for any length of time. Fortunately, she only had about two charitable bones in her body, and they were small, and easily ignored.

"...No."

And she marvelled at the way his face fell. Here was someone who had actually spent more than five minutes in the company of Princess Azula, and yet he actually looked _crestfallen_ to hear that she was no longer within earshot. It was baffling, it really was.

* * *

The situation was... not entirely going according to plan. She had thought they would be putting on _Love Amongst the Dragons- _that had been the reason why the idea had come to her in the first place. Still, at least they were performing a romance. And a well known one, at that.

And besides, now she thought about it, she wasn't sure she wouldn't be happier never seeing _Love Amongst the Dragons_ ever again. Best, perhaps, to let that lie.

* * *

It was getting late, the afternoon sun was low in the sky, and the beach was beginning to clear. And Azula had still not turned up again.

Katara was starting to nag at him, saying they should really get going. So far, he'd managed to put it off. But maybe, just maybe, it was time to take a hint-

Or not. Azula was bearing down on him with a determined expression. He got halfway through waving before she thrust something in his hand. A slim piece of paper.

A ticket.

"Six thirty, in three days. Do not be late," she told him, sternly, and before he could reply, she had turned on her heel and marched away.

"Okay!" he managed to yell, at her retreating back.

Well, that had been weird.

* * *

Right, she thought, briskly. That was that sorted. And now she had three days breathing room to avoid saying something monumentally stupid.

But before that, there was one thing left to deal with. One niggling little question that she wanted answered.

* * *

Zuko's sister had cornered her by the stairs, and was looking at her with slightly worrying scrutiny.

"I have a question," she announced. Katara turned, to indicate that she was listening. "How is it that you can just _decide_ not to honour this agreement between our two nations, just because you don't want to?"

Katara smiled. It was nice to see all that preparation wouldn't go to waste after all.

"Well, first you've got to recognise that the idea of diplomatic ties being strengthened by arranged marriage is an outdated, sexist model of international relations..."


	6. As Deep As Any Ocean

**As Deep As Any Ocean.**

* * *

Three days sounded like a long time, until noon of the first passed without him noticing, and Sokka suddenly found himself confronted by just how much he had to get ready, and how little time he had to do it in.

So he did what he always did in situations like this, and wrote down every single thing he had to do, along with exactly as much time he was allowing himself to complete them. In different-coloured ink. If a task well-begun was half done, Sokka tackled problems hoping that one day he would work how to begin a task so amazingly well it would just roll over and complete itself out of deference to his incredibly detailed charts.

He'd planned it out so he would have just enough time to get everything sorted, provided everything went according to plan.

This was, he would concede later, an extraordinarily stupid proviso.

"Is there nowhere on this stupid island to buy shoes?"

* * *

Azula walked back from the theatre, counting the footsteps.

When she got back to the house, she nodded to herself. Excellent. She'd got it down consistently.

Now that was sorted, she just had to go practice laughing in the mirror for a while. She felt she nearly had it sounding natural and not terrifying by now.

It was amazing what a little practice could do. 

* * *

"Seriously! I know there's a lot of beaches, but some people on this island do wear shoes! Like that guy! Look at that guy, _he's_ wearing shoes!"

* * *

It wasn't until Mai let him in on some new information that Zuko understood what exactly had been going on with his sister in the past few days.

"She's got a date with that Water Tribe guy with the hair."

Zuko's face slackened. "Why did you think I wanted to know that."

Mai shrugged. "This is the new reality we have to deal with. It won't do any good to pretend it's not going to happen. If it helps," she added, in a conciliatory tone, "I'm not any happier about it than you are."

Zuko sighed. "At least it seems to be keeping her busy, I guess."

Mai shrugged. "I guess."

* * *

He had to get ready. First up: research. He was pretty sure that if he spent the whole show asking what was going on, she'd realise he didn't actually know anything. So he had to learn all about this play, and fast.

Unfortunately, his resources were basically limited to Katara.

"Hey, Katara, you know anything about Avatar Roku?"  
One evening, about three days after the betrothal incident, Katara was sitting in their rented quarters, reading the book she was trying to finish before they went back home, when her brother walked out of the bathroom, furtive guilt scrawled across his face.

Normally, she would have ignored him entirely, but this time was special. After all, it was almost the first time she had seen him in three days. When he hadn't been badgering her about long-dead historical figures that she barely knew anything about, he'd been spending all his time and, as far as she could tell, most of his money, out in the town.

"Okay, I'm gonna be out tonight, so don't wait up," he slurred, trying to fit the whole sentence into the time it took him to cross the room, aiming to be out the door before the full stop hit. Unfortunately for him, Katara was quicker. She closed the book, and gave him her full attention, something she knew would worry him.

"Oh?" she inquired, all innocent curiosity. "Where are you going?"

"Oh, uh, just... Out. To ...see a play," he realised, waving a ticket as proof.

A play? Well, she supposed it could be true. After all, if nothing else, The Poetry Incident was a reminder that Sokka did occasionally take an interest in that kind of thing.

"Which one?"

Sokka glanced at the slip in his hand. "..._The Tragickal Romanse Of The Avatar Roku And Fire Lord Sozin_", he read off the ticket.

"Oh, sounds neat," Katara nodded. "Mind if I tag along?"

"No! I mean yes! I mean, they sold out all their tickets, so sorry, maybe next time?"

Katara shook her head. It was all starting to fall into place. The sneaking around, the constant twitching, the entirely different wardrobe (not including his shoes)... there was only one explanation.

"You have a date, don't you," she sighed, resignedly.

"No! No that's ridiculous yeah okay."

Katara sighed, and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Where did you even find time to meet someone? Was it at the beach?"

Oddly enough, he looked suddenly relieved, and dived on the answer. "Yes! Yeah, it was at the beach."

"No." Hang on. It was all starting to make sense now. "This is why you were being so weird that morning, wasn't it?" she asked, triumphantly. "You knew they were gonna be there, weren't you?" She took her brother's horrified silence as confirmation. "Is it the pink one?"

"What? No!"

"Oh. Shame. I liked her. Wait," her brow furrowed as she mentally ticked off the remaining members of Prince Zuko's entourage. "It's not the gloomy one? Because I think she has a boyfriend already."

"No! No it is not the one with all the knives."

"Okay- wait, knives? She has knives?"

"Yeah we got talking. Anyway it's not her, it's-"

"The Lieutenant?"

"Okay now you're just making fun of me. It's-"

"Oh spirits you're going on a date with the Princess."

"Yes! And don't say it like that! Why'd you say it like that?"

Katara sighed. She would have definitely preferred it to be the pink one. "She didn't listen to my speech."

Sokka's face drained of colour. "You did your speech? On Azula?"

"Well she asked!" Katara retorted, defensively.

"Oh La she's going to think my family's all weird, _please_ tell me you didn't get to the bit about how the Fire Nation was stupid and wrong, I _told_ you that wouldn't go down well."

"Oh relax. I'm pretty sure she'd stopped listening by that point."

Suddenly, the candle in the corner sparked six, and Sokka nearly leapt into the air.

"Is that the time? I gotta go have a nice evening don't wait up bye!"

In the aftermath of his escape, Katara sighed, and picked up her book again. Well, at least he was having a good time.

* * *

At _precisely_ six-thirty, Azula strolled unconcernedly into the foyer of the theatre, exactly as she had planned to. Sokka, as she had suspected would be the case, was already there, hovering by a column. As his eyes met hers, he pushed off from the column, and picked his way towards her.

He looked different, she noted, with a strange thrill of satisfaction. He'd changed his clothes, and, she noted- as he arrived at her side, with a hurried "hi"- put on some kind of scent, possibly to compensate for his unfortunately ordinary shoes.

He looked good in red, she decided. 

"Shall we?" she nodded, smoothly directing him towards the balcony seating.

* * *

The story, as best he was able to figure out, was a romance, probably between the Fire Lord Sozin and the Avatar Roku. That much he'd been able to get from the title, but the actual play was proving difficult going. Partly because everyone was talking in a kind of rough approximation of how they thought people from a hundred years ago might have talked, partly because the guy playing Young Roku kept mumbling into his fake beard, but mostly because he was finding it really hard to concentrate on the play when Azula was sitting right next to him, leaning back and smirking at the actors through lidded eyes. It was just a little entirely more enthralling than the entire performance.

* * *

"_My Lord, mark well_

_ These lands across the sea_

_ remain unclaimed, except in name._

_ What doom shall fall on we who wait_

_ Bowing down to children yet unborn?"_

A second courtier chimed in, seemingly convinced that the best way to convey unchecked expansionist ambition was by hissing like a python.

_"Noble Lord, your people cry for action._

_ The Kings of Dirt spit and sneer and still you do not answer_

_ In a manner befitting your position."_

Finally, Sozin stirred, waving a hand for silence.

_"Enough. When I wish your wise counsel_

_ I shall inform you. Leave me to my thoughts."_

Now came the part of the plot that, frankly, Azula had always had something of a problem with. Sozin's soliloquy was famous, and she supposed the poetry was nice enough, although she was hardly a great judge. It was just the message she found a little hard to swallow.

_"They bow and scrape and pour their poison in my ear_

_ And yet I cannot help but wonder. The vision turns and turns_

_ A sight I had not dared to see before. Sozin, two crowns upon his brow_

_ Lord of Fire and Stone as one. Half the world united under me_

_ And would there not be space for all?"_

The actor began to attempt what he might have read somewhere was called 'intensity', although it was rather spoiled by the fact that, as far as he was concerned, it began and ended at 'shouting while waving his arms'.

_"And what of these advisers, my pedallers of honey'd whispers?_

_ Their words are thick as smoke, yet might not it be_

_ That truth can spring from even such a poisoned tongue?_

_ A vision, before my eyes, of serried ranks, delivered 'cross the seas_

_ Into a desolate land, that it might be made fit for citizens_

_ To ply their trades, with naught to fear from sword or stone."_

He stopped, so abruptly she almost wondered if he had forgotten his lines, and paced across the stage. She took the moment to steal a glance at Sokka. He was utterly enthralled, one hand forgotten, holding a bunch of fire flakes halfway to his open mouth. She took the opportunity to relieve him of them, and smirked at the comical way he glared at her.

_"But a shadow is cast across my heart, for the one who holds most claim_

_ O'er it, would surely be angered by the thoughts that so consume my mind._

_ Would that he were just a man, not set into his doom as guardian of the world_

_ He might be brought to understanding."_

* * *

Based purely on the source text, those with a mind to compiling such lists inevitably ranked this kiss as one of the greatest ever to be written into a theatrical performance. Azula had to grudgingly admit that this production had done a fair job- the red and ash-grey ribbons dancing in the air, the silken billowing fire rippling out from the volcano in the distance, it was all very impressive, as long as you ignored the way Sozin's wig was clearly falling off.

* * *

The audience spilled out into the still summer night, voices raised in rabble as they dissipated into the dark. As she steered the two of them onto the path back to the house, Sokka summed up what Azula felt to be the general sentiment of the crowd.

"Eh, the effects were nice."

"Yes, I suppose I should have warned you, but the Ember Island Players are notoriously terrible."

Sokka shrugged. "I've listened to Bato read poetry, nothing's as bad as that."

That reference meant nothing to Azula, but the evening had been going remarkably well so far, and she wasn't about to risk that on admitting that she didn't understand a throwaway comment.

Too late, she wondered if she should have deployed her entirely natural laugh.

* * *

Awkward silence blossomed, and Sokka inwardly berated himself. He should have _realised_ that she wouldn't know who Bato was. His first instinct was to explain, but stopped himself short.

It was times like this when he wished he _actually_ knew how to talk to people.

* * *

After a moment, a thought appeared to come to him, and he broke the silence.

"Wait, something's been bothering me."

"Oh?" Azula prompted, silently thankful that he had found a way to puncture the moment.

"...Where did _you_ come from? I mean, didn't Sozin ever get married?"

Azula sighed. Everyone asked that, sooner or later.

"My great-grandmother was apparently not a very interesting woman. She spent most of her time in the palace, practising embroidery." She risked a glance in his direction, hoping that wouldn't give the game away.

"...Was she... _good_ at embroidery?" he ventured, neutrally.

"No," she replied, with an easy shrug. "We have whole rooms of her work, in storerooms. It's dreadful stuff. Presumably she thought she needed the practise. It's tragic, really." She thought she could see his shoulders start to gently shake, and pressed on. "Grandfather finds a use for them, though. He gives them as presents to people who have upset him."

And Sokka couldn't hide the sudden choke of laughter, which was definitely a win in her eyes.

* * *

"Well, here we are," Azula stated, briskly, if entirely unnecessarily, as they arrived at the threshold to the house.

"Yeah," Sokka nodded, scratching the back of his head. Azula fought the urge to awkwardly cough. "I just- I had a really great time tonight, and-" there was only one acceptable way to end his sentence, and so Azula threw caution entirely to the wind, grabbed him by his ears, and kissed him.

One hand slid down, landing on his shoulder and draping over his back, the other travelled to the nape of his neck, exploring the strange feeling of his cropped hair, stiff and bristly, as she committed this moment to heart, learning it like a passage; the feel of his lips on hers, the sudden pressure of his arms around her shoulders, the scent of his perfume, much stronger now he was so close, the sound of his surprise transforming into pleasure. This was a moment she was determined to preserve.

* * *

Sokka, for his part, was feeling like someone had replaced his brain with fireworks.


	7. To Lose Your Place In Time

**To Lose Your Place In Time**

* * *

Zuko would have given absolutely anything to be anywhere but right here, right now.

"Uh... is your sister in?"

"Yeah", he grunted, and stared at his shoes hard enough that he could almost imagine there was nothing else in the entire world.

The Water Tribes boy coughed, shattering the fantasy. Zuko stubbornly sank further into his chair.

"...So... Could you... Let her know I've arrived?"

The only way this could possibly be worse would be-

"Sokka! Just one moment," Azula's voice floated down the stairs, thick and gloating. Zuko flinched. It was his own stupid fault he was in this situation, really. He'd just left it too late to run away.

The seconds dragged on, and Zuko spent them wishing he was holding a book, while trying not to listen to Sokka's awkward shuffling as he rebalanced and readjusted the ostentatious bouquet of flowers held in the crook of his arm.

Zuko had just screwed up the nerve to mumble some excuse and flee for the safety of the hallway, when the measured click of heels on wood announced Azula's arrival in the room. She flashed a lightning-smirk at Zuko, frozen halfway up from his chair, and swept past him, preposterously effusive at the sight of the flowers.

"Oh, they're _wonderful_," she gushed, taking an exaggerated sniff, while Sokka mumbled incoherently and scratched at the back of his head. Just as Zuko was coming to the conclusion that it was worth making a break for it while she was distracted with her performance, Azula turned to face him, and gave him the widest, most incongruously terrifying smile he had ever seen on her face.

"Zuzu, look after these, would you?" she asked, sickly saccharine, thrusting the bouquet into his arms. "Put them in some water. And I'll be back late, so don't wait up."

And then they were gone, and Zuko was left with an armful of flowers and the terrible feeling that, although that had probably been the most awkward minute of his life thus far, that record was not going to stand for very long.

* * *

"Well," Azula said, brightly, and Zuko sank deeper into his chair. "It_ has_ been a week, hasn't it?"

"Hn."

"Ty Lee managed to break her record for the number of parties she got invited to in one evening, Mai... well, who knows what Mai's been up to, I've... caught up on my theatre," she smirked, and Zuko shuddered. "And you failed to get married. You must be pleased."

"What do you want?" he grunted, shifting away from her.

"I was wondering, however," she continued, talking to the air two feet above his head, as though he hadn't spoken at all, "what you intend to tell Father."

Zuko went still.

"After all," she continued, horribly pleased with herself, "he did ask me, before we left, if I could prevent you from causing _embarrassment_ for everyone. Unfortunately, it seems as though there was only so much I could do." She paused for a breath, head cocked in curiosity, but no answer was forthcoming. So she continued, her voice full of faux-commiseration. "I'll leave you to think about it, then. After all, I'm sure Father will understand, if you phrase it properly."

Zuko might have been a statue, if not for the white grip of his hands on the rests of the seat. After a moment of silent observation, Azula turned lightly on her heel, and strolled out of the room, where she almost walked straight into the lurking figure that had been listening at the door.

* * *

Oh that was _it_. Mai had finally, definitely, _had enough_. Moving faster than thought, she roughly grabbed the Princess by the arm, and dragged her into the receiving room- Azula only going along with it through sheer stunned incomprehension- before deliberately settling in the doorway, blocking Azula off from the rest of the house.

The last five seconds belatedly filtered their way through Azula's brain, and her face began to twist in disgust. "How _dare _you-"

"Shut up," Mai snapped, knuckles tightening around the hilt of her insurance policy, still hidden in her sleeve. "Shut up. I've been quiet. I've not said _anything_. I just figured it wasn't any of my business. Well it _is_ my business now, so you had better have some _answers_." The words tumbled out of her like she wasn't sure she was going to make it to the end of the sentence.

"Just what do you-"

"What, _exactly_, do you think you're doing?"

Azula blinked. "...What?"

"I'd have thought you'd recognise that he gets enough of it from Daddy Dearest without _you_ joining in."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Azula retorted, flat and colourless.

"Of course you don't," Mai spat, flying, buoyed up by fury, somewhere beyond fear.

"If you're talking about the accident-"

"The accident." Mai's breathing levelled, and the mist lifted. In its place was cold, utter certainty. "The _accident_. Are you serious? Don't tell me you actually think that's what happened."

Azula, to Mai's silent shock, looked harried. "Why would I not?"

"Answer the question." Pushing her luck, Mai took a step forward, and Azula, not seeming to realise it herself, took a step back. "Do you believe it? I've thought a lot of things of you, Princess, but I'd have never guessed you were that _stupid_-"

Too late, Mai realised she'd backed a firebender into a corner. Historically, this had not been a great idea. She could already see Azula's shoulders setting. Her knuckles whitened on the hilt of the knife.

And all of a sudden, there was a tap on the window.

"could someone let me in?"

Ty Lee's voice, muffled through the glass, cut across the room. Mai's eye twitched.

"only it doesn't open from this side"

She breathed in, not daring to blink.

"and I think I'm slipping"

Mai snapped, stamping over to the window, taking her eyes off the princess for only as long as it took to work the latch, head swivelling back the second Ty Lee unfolded into the room, back to-

To the place where Azula had been standing.

* * *

It was just beginning to rain when the door opened. Sokka looked up, as Azula strode into the room, water clinging lightly to her hair and shoulders. A question died on his tongue as he saw the look on her face, and he simply slid over, making room for her on the sofa.

"Hi," he said, simply, as she accepted the offer, with as bad grace as she could project with practical silence. After a moment, he turned back to what he had been doing before.

"See, when I was on Kyoshi Island, there was this guy here, visiting, I guess, some kind of inventor, and we got to talking. I had this idea, you see," he began, after a few moments, still focused on the crude diagram in front of him. "Hot air rises, right? Hold a bit of cloth above a bonfire and it kind of flaps around, yeah? So we thought, how about-"

"Do you always have to talk?" Azula groused, sighing.

Sokka shrugged. "No," he replied, easily.

"Good," she replied, turning to prop herself up against his shoulder. Sokka turned back to his scribbling, apparently entirely at ease with his place in the universe.

* * *

Azula was starting to wonder if she was trying to win some kind of award for saying the worst possible things at the worst possible times.

* * *

The next morning, Katara stumbled through the living room, on her way to breakfast, when the sudden sight of something completely unexpected sent her turning on her heel and marching back in the direction of the bedrooms, where she nearly collided with her brother.

"Sokka," she whispered, urgently, as he regained his balance. "Why is Princess Azula sleeping on the couch?"

He shrugged. "I have absolutely no idea."

* * *

Zuko was deeply confused. It had been three days before Azula came back to the house- before she was _seen_ again at the house, he corrected himself, because she had just reappeared after three days, sitting at the breakfast table as though nothing had happened. She seemed pretty content to act like she hadn't been missing long enough that Ty Lee had been on the verge of organising a search party.

Seemed. The walls were pretty thin in this house, and all the rooms were closer together than any of them were used to. He had a feeling that Azula assumed he slept more, and deeper, than he actually did.

And on top of all that- she'd left him alone. Whatever Mai had said had_ worked_. Azula hadn't exchanged more than a word with him in nearly a week. It was... alien. She _always_ found a way to pry, to needle, to get under his skin in the worst way. Except now she wasn't. She wasn't doing _anything_. She'd been out a lot. She was out tonight, he knew that much.

He didn't understand, and he didn't know what to make of it. So he pushed it aside, and tried to concentrate on the _other_ problem.

Because she'd been right. Father was going to be furious. And he didn't know what to do.

The fear was a lead weight at the base of his chest, heavy and painful- the thought that soon, no matter how long he tried to put it off, he would have to back to the palace and tell Ozai that he hadn't done what he'd been told-

Zuko counted good days by how often he could stand to look at himself in the mirror.

Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by a sharp tapping at the door. Zuko blinked. There was only one person who knocked. On the door, anyway. Ty Lee was at least polite in her baffling idiosyncrasy.

"Come in, Lieutenant."

Jee opened the door, bowing, and presenting a slip of paper. "A messenger-hawk arrived, Prince Zuko. From the palace."

Zuko accepted it without a word.

It was not a very long message.

* * *

Sokka gestured with his cup, and tried to get her to raise a smile. Honestly, he was a little worried. Just a tiny bit. Nothing major, just the fact that she hadn't said more than three consecutive words this whole evening was slightly making him panic and oh Spirits was it him, had he done something or said something or had she just suddenly noticed that he wasn't as interesting as he was pretending to be- _no_. Breathe. Stay calm. Come up with a plan, hopefully before dessert arrived.

The way he saw it, he had two options. Either he could push his plate away, reach across the table, take her hand, stare soulfully into her eyes, and ask, voice trembling with concern, _seriously what's going on, you're being really weird_, which was not happening, for any number of reasons, or, and this was really the only sensible option, he could bust out the Secret Anecdote, the one he'd been saving for a special occasion.

"Did I ever tell you about the time I got two fish-hooks stuck in my thumb?"

* * *

Of all the ways Zuko would have thought to look for Azula, 'follow the laughing' would not have been one of them. Still, as he shoved his way through the crowded restaurant, towards the booth, tucked away in a secluded corner, it did at least mean she was easy to find.

He found the two of them sitting easily at the table, Sokka's hands midway through miming a story, Azula's mouth twisted in a smile. Neither of them had noticed him yet, so he cleared his throat.

Azula turned, and the colour drained out of her face, her jaw locking into a mask of embarrassed anger, and even now, though he regretted it the moment the thought darted through his head, Zuko couldn't help but be bitterly pleased that she finally knew how it felt.

Sokka waved him away without looking. "Everything's fine, thanks, and could we get some more water? Thanks. Oh," he finished, as he actually turned to look at Zuko. Confusion passed across his brow like a shadow, and his eyes flicked between the two siblings, trying in vain to get a grip on what was going on.

"_Well_," Azula spat out, jerking Zuko back into the moment.

Zuko slowly exhaled, feeling the clouds in his head start to unravel. "Azula. We have to go. We've been called back to the Palace."

"Why? What's going-"

"Grandfather's dead."


End file.
